[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: GBlist: Re:Housing Costs




Mike O'Brien wrote:  (and an excellent treatise preceded this portion!)

...I worry a bit about houses being built out on open land, away from the
city, that the accounting may get skewed...for example, maybe a wall made
of (insert your earth material here) is cheaper than a framed wall, but 
the
cost in gasoline goes way up, for hauling people and stuff to the site?

Mike

******************
Mike, et al...

I was with you up until this point.  I agree ... if the home becomes a
bedroom for someone "needing" to commute to a town or city to create money
wealth to pay for stuff.  However, for folks able to live on the land,
create their wealth in place, build their own structures from locally
available materials, with their own hands and without the use of a mortgage,
it is extremely viable and efficient.  
I'll use us as an example. Our structures built from local materials. 
Rafters, girders and lumber obtained on this land through thinning of our
forested area.
Wei wu wei.  Decreased fire danger, less pine borers, still plenty of
standing dead trees for pileated woodpeckers, etc.  One building (Cher's
wholistic health studio) built from strawbales. House underground.  No
septic system.  Waste matter composted.  Gray water systems reuse water. 
Rainwater catchments in place for gardens.  Photovoltaic systems for each
building.  Built as we went without borrowing.  No interest payments, no
debt load, low taxes, low overhead.
Grow the majority of our own food, supplemented by local sources.  Strong
community attachments, here.  
I'll submit this as an augmentation of your essay, not as argumentative.

Added benefit of teaching by doing.  Pump water, carry wood.

Bruce

Bruce Brummitt and Cheryl Valois
Lilac Moon Experimental Living Center
Osage, MN  56570  USA
"Liberty and Justice for All"

______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by CREST <www.crest.org>
Environmental Building News <www.ebuild.com> and Oikos <www.oikos.com>
For  instructions send  e-mail to  greenbuilding-request@crest.org.
______________________________________________________________________